Sussex Tech High School students honor local veterans at Veterans Day Assembly

GEORGETOWN, Del. – Hundreds of students at Sussex Tech High School came together to thank local veterans for their services to the United States on Friday.

“I personally feel honored, and I think it’s a wonderful thing that they do for veterans, and I like seeing the other veterans here,” said Ben Chaffinch, a local veteran.

“The comradeship is kind of neat, and it brings back the past,” said Chaffinch.

“It’s wonderful, and tell you what, I’ve had two heart attacks, I’ve had prostate cancer,” said Donald Hirneisen, a local veteran.

“I’m still here,” said Hirneisen.

Some of these veterans say they have served during the Korean War, the Cold War and even the Vietnam War.

“I grew up in Seaford, graduated from Seaford High School, went in the Navy two weeks after graduation and served four years,” said Chaffinch.

“I just felt like it’s something we had to do at the time,”  said Chaffinch.

Veterans add, they get a lot of support from their community.

“I graduated this year June 6… I’m 88 years old, and I got my high school diploma with a 91 plus average,” said Hirneisen.

But, state officials like U.S. Senator Chris Coons said there is still work to be done to better serve our veterans.

“I was raised in a family that respected and honored veterans and one of the things that really encourages me is the ways in which our community and our country is increasingly recognizing that we genuinely fell short of the obligation we have to respect and honor veterans,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons.